METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYANCE CHAFF, WASTE SEED, SMALL GRAINS ETC. IN A HARVESTER

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and an apparatus (6) for the conveyance of chaff, waste seed, small grains, etc. in a harvester (2), which apparatus comprises a conveyor (30) being adapted to collect chaff, waste seed, small grains etc. from the screen or riddle system (4) of the harvester and to convey the waste material to a discharge position (36), which is such positioned that the waste material may be collected together with the straw - since the waste material either may be discharged over the straw string inside the harvester or may be discharged on top of the straw string after the discharge thereof on the ground.

Description: Method and apparatus for conveyance chaff, waste seed, small grains etc. in a harvester The present invention relates to a method for conveyance chaff, waste seed, small grains etc. in a harvester. By harvesting with a harvester the fact has hitherto not been realized that it may results in more disadvantages that chaff, waste seed, small grains etc. from the riddle system or screen system of the harvester are discharged directly on the ground. Firstly the material lost in this way has a relative large fodder value, and secondly the discharge of waste seed and small grains directly on the field later on may result in an additional consumption of spraying agents for the "weed-fighting". The invention has for its purpose to provide a method by means of which it in a simple manner becomes possible to remedy the said disadvantages. According to the invention the method is distinctive in that said waste material is collected from the screen or riddle system of the harvester and is conveyed to a such placed outlet position that the waste material may be collected together with the straw. In a simple manner is hereby obtained that it becomes possible to collect, to inter- conveyance said "waste materiale" so that this may be discharged together with the straw. By subsequence collecting and pressing of the straw there may be saved a very large part of said waste material, which has considerable fodder and thermal values. It should be pointed out that it is considerable values which may be gained by means of the invention, since experiments have shown that between 18 - 26% of the corn weight which is harvested by means of a harvester is discharged on the ground from the riddle system in the form of chaff, waste seed and small grains. Subsequently it may be possible further to save considerable costs by the fact that the need for weed-fighting with spraying agents may be considerably reduced. Advantageously the method according to the invention may further be distinctive in that the waste material from said discharge position is discharged over the straw string inside the harvester. Alternatively the method according to the invention may with advantage be further distinctive in that the waste material from said discharge postion is discharged on top of the straw string, after this is discharged on the ground. The invention also relates to an apparatus for use by practising the method according to the invention, which apparatus is distinctive in comprising conveyance means being adapted to collect said waste material from the screen or riddle system of the harvester and to convey it to a discharge position, from which the waste material may be dischar¬ ged together with the straw - since the waste material is either discharged over the straw string inside the harvester or is discharged on top of the straw string after the dis¬ charge thereof on the ground. Appropriately, the apparatus according to the invention is such provided, that said conveyance means consist of an endless conveyor, which is constructed from a number of generally box-shaped, straight channel sections and special arched corner sections, and which comprises a number of scraper elements projecting sideways from a chain, which is stretching along the inner walls of said channel and corner sections. In order to obtain a particular simple construction the apparatus according to the invention is preferably such provided that said conveyance means comprise a drive station placed in one of the corner sections and being provided with a chain driving wheel, which is driven by a hydraulic motor, and which is arranged displacable in such a manner that the chain driving wheel also may act as a tightening wheel. In a simple manner and in order to obtain sufficient strength and stiffness said scraper elements may consist of arched, shell-shaped elements, which by way of example being made from cutting outs of hard plastic tubes with large diameter. Alternatively, the apparatus according to the invention may be such provided that said conveyance means consist of a combined air and blowing conveyor being supplied with air from a separate take-off from the existing blower of the harvester, said air and blowing conveyor may cooperate with a cyclone-like braking device, from which the waste material is discharged together with the straw, for instance on top of the straw string. The invention is described in more details in the following, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which :- Fig. 1 shows a harvester, which is provided with an apparatus according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows an embodiment for an apparatus according to the invention - seen from above, Fig. 3 shows the apparatus cf. Fig. 2 - seen from the riddle system of the harvetser, and Fig. 4 shows an embodiment for a conveyance element for the apparatus according to the invention. The harvester 2 shown in Fig. 1 is behind a so-called riddle box (screen and riddle system) provided with an embodiment for an apparatus 6 (Figs. 2 and 3) according to the invention, which apparatus 6 comprises an endless scraper conveyor 8 constructed from two mainly straight box-shaped side sections 10 and 12, two also straight end sections 14 and 16 and of four corner sections 18, 20, 22 and 24, of which the corner section 24 furthermore comprises a drive station 26, which is driven by a hydraulic motor 28. The scraper conveyor 8 comprises an endless roller chain 30 (Fig. 4), to which sideways projecting, arched scraper elements 32 are secured, which - in order to obtain in a particular simple manner sufficient stiffness - are cut from hard plastic tubes (for instance PEL-tubes) with large diameter. 5 The scraper conveyor 8, which in Fig. 2 is seen from above, comprises a receiving position 34, where chaff, waste seed, small grains, etc. are supplied from the riddle box 4. From the receiving position 34 the collected material is conveyed via the end section 14, the corner section 20, the side section 12, the corner section 22 and the end section 10 16 to a discharge position 36, from which chaff, waste seed, small grains, etc. may be discharged on top of the straw string 38 (Fig. 1), as the discharge of the straw from the harvester 2 takes place through the marked central zone 40 of the scraper conveyor 8 (Fig. 2). 15 The corner section 24, which comprises the driving station 26, has a little larger width towards the left side section 10, which towards the central zone 40 has inclined side, which is due to the fact that the driving station 26 comprises tightening function for the endless conveyor chain 30. 20 It should be mentioned, that the main aspect of the invention - collecting, intermediate conveyance and delayed discharge of chaff, waste seed, small grains, etc. in relation to the straw discharge - in order to be able to discharge the collected materiale on top of or in the straw string rather than on the ground in front of or in the straw discharge position - may be obtained by means of other suited conveyance means being able to 25 lead the collected material round the straw discharge position. By way of example this may presumably be achieved by means of a suitable worm conveyor stretching in an curve round the straw discharge, or by means of an endless cup elevator (paternoster) and a chute system. An other alternative possibility of arranging collecting, intermediate coveyance and delayed discharge of said waste material could be to make use of a combined air or blower conveyor for instance with a cyclone-like braking device, from which the waste material may be discharged in or on the straw string. A such combined air or blower cornveyor may be supplied with air from a separate take-off from the existing blower of the harvester. In order to avoid unfortunate influence of the function of the screen and riddle system of the harvester, a such separate air-take-off should preferably be positioned before the screen and riddle system of the harvester.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method for conveyance chaff, waste seed, small grains etc. in a harvester, cha¬ racterized in that said waste material is collected from the screen or riddle system of the harvester and is conveyed to a such placed discharge position that the waste material may be collected together with the straw. 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the waste material from said discharge position is discharged over the straw string inside the harvester. 3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the waste material from said discharge position is discharged on top of the straw string after this being discharged on the ground. 4. An apparatus for the conveyance of chaff, waste seed, small grains etc. in a har¬ vester, characterized in comprising conveyance means being adapted to collect said waste material from the screen or riddle system of the harvester and to convey it to a discharge position, from which the waste material may be discharged together with the straw - since the waste material is either discharged over the straw string inside the har¬ vester or is discharged on top of the straw string after the discharge thereof on the ground. 5. An apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that said conveyance means consist of an endless conveyor, which is constructed from a number of generally box-shaped, straight channel sections and special arched corner sections, and which comprises a number of scraper elements projecting sideways from a chain, which is stretching along the inner walls of said channel and corner sections. 6. An apparatus according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that said conveyor comprises a drive station placed in one of the corner sections and being provided with a chain drive wheel, which is driven by a hydraulic motor, and which is arranged displaceable in such a manner that the chain driving wheel also may act as a tightening wheel. 57. An apparatus according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that said scraper elements consist of arched, shell-shaped elements, which by way of example are made from cutting outs of hard plastic tubes with large diameter. 8. An apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that said conveyance 0 means consist of a combined air and blowing conveyor, which is supplied with air from a separate take-off from the exsisting blower of the harvester, said air and blowing conveyor preferably cooperates with a cyclone-like braking device, from which the waste material is discharged together with the straw, for instance on top of the straw string.

Inventors: WELLING CHRISTIAN HALDRUP, WELLING, CHRISTIAN, HALDRUP
Applicants: WELLING CHRISTIAN HALDRUP, WELLING, CHRISTIAN, HALDRUP
Application year: 1994
Main classification: A01D41
IPC codes: A01D41